Early onset AD. Symptoms appear before age 60. This type is much less common than late onset. It tends to get worse quickly. Early onset disease can run in families. Several genes have been identified.

Late onset AD. This is the most common type. It occurs in people age 60 and older. It may run in some families, but the role of genes is less clear.

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Symptoms

AD symptoms include difficulty with many areas of mental function, including:

Emotional behavior or personality

Language

Memory

Perception

Thinking and judgment (cognitive skills)

AD usually first appears as forgetfulness.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between normal forgetfulness due to aging, and the development of AD. People with MCI have mild problems with thinking and memory that do not interfere with daily activities. They are often aware of the forgetfulness. Not everyone with MCI develops AD.

Symptoms of MCI include:

Difficulty performing more than one task at a time

Difficulty solving problems

Forgetting recent events or conversations

Taking longer to perform more difficult activities

Early symptoms of AD can include:

Difficulty performing tasks that take some thought, but used to come easily, such as balancing a checkbook, playing complex games (bridge), and learning new information or routines

Getting lost on familiar routes

Language problems, such as trouble remembering the names of familiar objects

Losing interest in things previously enjoyed and being in a flat mood

Misplacing items

Personality changes and loss of social skills

As AD becomes worse, symptoms are more obvious and interfere with the ability to take care of oneself. Symptoms may include:

Behavior and sleep problems

Safe for them

Support Groups

Having AD or caring for a person with the condition may be a challenge. You can ease the stress of illness by seeking support through AD resources. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you not feel alone.

AD resources

The following organizations are good resources for information on Alzheimer disease:Alzheimer's Association -- www. alz. orgNational Institute on Agi...

Alzheimer disease

This animation shows the brain and the changes that occur to it from Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease

Animation

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Alzheimer disease - Animation

Imagine waking up this morning, and not being able to remember your own name, or recognize your spouse? While Alzheimer disease is a more gradual process, over time it can destroy memory to the point where people can't even remember the simplest and most important details of their lives. Let's talk more about Alzheimer disease.
Alzheimer disease is a type of dementia, a loss of brain function that makes it harder and harder to think and speak. To understand what causes Alzheimer, we need to look inside the brain. In a normal brain, nerves send messages to one another. In people with Alzheimer disease, abnormal proteins clump in the brain, damaging nerve cells so they can no longer send the messages needed to think clearly.
So, why do some people get Alzheimer, and others do not?
Getting older itself doesn't cause Alzheimer disease. It's not a part of the normal aging process. Alzheimer does seem to run in families, though. So if you have a close relative, like a sister or parent, with Alzheimer, you may be more likely to get the disease.
Usually when Alzheimer disease starts, people have trouble remembering simple things, like their phone number, or where they put their car keys. But, as the disease progresses, memory loss gets worse. People with Alzheimer find it hard to have conversations or complete simple tasks, like getting dressed. They can also become angry or depressed. Those in the later stages of the disease can no longer care for themselves. They lose the ability to recognize even close family members.
To diagnose Alzheimer disease, doctors prescribe tests of mental ability. They also prescribe medical tests to rule out diseases that can make it harder to think clearly, such as a brain tumor or stroke.
As far as treatments for Alzheimer disease, right now, there isn't a cure. A few drugs can slow memory loss and control depression and aggressiveness from the disease. Despite what you may have read, there isn't any proof that vitamins or other supplements can prevent or treat Alzheimer. However, eating a low-fat diet that's high in vitamin E and C, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids may keep your brain healthier.
Alzheimer disease is different in each person. Some people decline quickly and die within just a few years, while others can live for two decades with the disease. If you have a family member with Alzheimer, talk to your doctor about ways to protect your own memory. And, call right away if you have any significant memory loss. Though it may be normal forgetfulness that comes with getting older, the sooner you get it checked out, the earlier you can start treatment if you need it.

Alzheimer disease - illustration

Aged nervous tissue is less able to rapidly communicate with other neural tissues.

Alzheimer disease

illustration

Alzheimer disease

Animation

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Alzheimer disease - Animation

This animation shows the brain and the changes that occur to it from Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease

Animation

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Alzheimer disease - Animation

Imagine waking up this morning, and not being able to remember your own name, or recognize your spouse? While Alzheimer disease is a more gradual process, over time it can destroy memory to the point where people can't even remember the simplest and most important details of their lives. Let's talk more about Alzheimer disease.
Alzheimer disease is a type of dementia, a loss of brain function that makes it harder and harder to think and speak. To understand what causes Alzheimer, we need to look inside the brain. In a normal brain, nerves send messages to one another. In people with Alzheimer disease, abnormal proteins clump in the brain, damaging nerve cells so they can no longer send the messages needed to think clearly.
So, why do some people get Alzheimer, and others do not?
Getting older itself doesn't cause Alzheimer disease. It's not a part of the normal aging process. Alzheimer does seem to run in families, though. So if you have a close relative, like a sister or parent, with Alzheimer, you may be more likely to get the disease.
Usually when Alzheimer disease starts, people have trouble remembering simple things, like their phone number, or where they put their car keys. But, as the disease progresses, memory loss gets worse. People with Alzheimer find it hard to have conversations or complete simple tasks, like getting dressed. They can also become angry or depressed. Those in the later stages of the disease can no longer care for themselves. They lose the ability to recognize even close family members.
To diagnose Alzheimer disease, doctors prescribe tests of mental ability. They also prescribe medical tests to rule out diseases that can make it harder to think clearly, such as a brain tumor or stroke.
As far as treatments for Alzheimer disease, right now, there isn't a cure. A few drugs can slow memory loss and control depression and aggressiveness from the disease. Despite what you may have read, there isn't any proof that vitamins or other supplements can prevent or treat Alzheimer. However, eating a low-fat diet that's high in vitamin E and C, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids may keep your brain healthier.
Alzheimer disease is different in each person. Some people decline quickly and die within just a few years, while others can live for two decades with the disease. If you have a family member with Alzheimer, talk to your doctor about ways to protect your own memory. And, call right away if you have any significant memory loss. Though it may be normal forgetfulness that comes with getting older, the sooner you get it checked out, the earlier you can start treatment if you need it.

Alzheimer disease - illustration

Aged nervous tissue is less able to rapidly communicate with other neural tissues.